Drastic Difference
by Miss.Sly
Summary: Okay. I give up. Abandoned.
1. Chapter 1

_**Drastic Difference**_

Summary: What if Itachi had been different? What if Sasuke had been told what his brother was going to do? What if the Uchiha clan wasn't as perfect as everyone thought?

Warnings: AU, Child Abuse/Neglect, Dark themes, OOC-ness, Possible rating change.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot, and a few characters.

"Talking"

'thinking'

–flashbacks--

((Hand signs))

--------------------------------------------

Uchiha Itachi sat on a large rock with the man he considered to be his best friend, Uchiha Shisui in front of a swiftly flowing river deep in the forest. His red gaze bored into his cousins as Shisui spoke.

"It is happening. To you. To me. To Sasuke. To all of us. You know what's going on. Our clan see's us as nothing. And treats us as so. While the rest of our humble village treat us as Gods, fear in their eyes and caution in their every action towards us. They do not understand. They are oblivious of the happenings of our twisted clan. They have no idea how human we really are. How cruel those with too much power are."

A sardonic smile marred Itachi's handsome face. "They have no idea the tremendous skeletons we hold in our over-sized closets."

"Precisely."

Itachi hesitated then spoke, "When shall we act?"

Shisui barked out a laugh. "When it is time."

Itachi's eye twitched. "And when will it be time?"

Shisui looked deep into Itachi's eyes, then turned to leave. Before he was out of hearing range he turned and called back to his younger cousin, "Sasuke will know. Tell him. If you don't, our carefully constructed plan will backfire, and nothing but pain and suffering worse that we could ever imagine would befall your brother bond. Sasuke would be consumed with loathing, while you would be manipulated in your grief. Be sure that does not happen."

Itachi sat on his rock, beside a swiftly moving stream deep in the forest, watching the retreating back of the man he considered as his best friend. And as he watched, he contemplated every detail, every fibre of Shisui and his plan, and the departing words of the depressed Uchiha.

If only he knew how to explain everything to Sasuke.

--------------------------------

Sasuke lay on his futon late that night, listening to the heated argument between his brother and father, which was steadily becoming more and more violent. He jumped as he heard a stray kuni embed itself with a solid **thump** into the floor beneath him. He shuddered when he imagined it's sharp end tearing through the floor and coming to rest firmly between his ribs.

'Just another night in the Uchiha household'

Sasuke's left hand wandered to the right side of his rib-cage and he massaged a massive bruise gently, hoping for the pain to lesson somewhat. It didn't.

He rolled over, holding down a wince, and attempted to block out the angry sounds coming from below. Yes, just another night in the Uchiha household

-----------------------------------

A/N: So how is it? Much better than my other Naruto story in my opinion. Should I Keep this up? I won't be updating this often even if I get a review that tell's me someone is interested. (Hint, hint)

Well, until next time!

SlytherinProngs


	2. Chapter 2

_**Drastic Difference**_

Warnings: See chapter one.

Disclaimer: See chapter one.

"Speaking"

'Thoughts'

–Flashbacks–

((Hand Signals))

Chapter Two

-----------------------

It was late by the time Itachi had gotten to bed that night. The next day he woke up stiff, a large bruise on his left cheek smarting. A glance in the mirror revealed the green tinged monstrosity on his pale, usually unblemished, face. 'Damn.'

The door creaked open. Itachi stiffened and slid a kuni into his hand, then let out a sigh of relief when he met the jaded eyes of his five-year-old brother.

Then he noticed what he was carrying. In Sasuke's arms, he had an assortment of medical creams, painkillers, and make-up.

Despite being wounded himself, his little brother had taken the liberty of bringing all the things Itachi needed to him, just so he could avoid their father. Itachi smiled.

-------------------------

Sasuke looked up into his elder brothers face and was surprised when he noticed a small smile spread across Itachi's's face. But it didn't reach his eyes.

Sasuke had always been good at reading people's emotions by looking into their eyes. It had been his secret ever sense he could remember. And he loved it. There were so many emotions in a person's eyes at any given time. Some people thought they could blank their faces, wipe out all emotion, but whatever they did, a small flicker of _something_ was always there.

And Sasuke knew it.

But what he saw in his brother's eyes, he found odd. Looking deep into the eyes of Itachi he saw things that made his shiver. Despair. Curiosity. Worry. Sadness. Fright. Nervousness. Malice. Hate.

Dropping the assortment, ignoring the pain in his ribs, Sasuke spoke. "What are you going to do."

Startled, Itachi blinked. "What are you talking about? Im not doing anything."

Saddened, Sasuke started to walk away. "You lie to me. You are tense. You are jumpy. Something is going on. I want to know what that something is."

But instead of talking, Itachi did something that puzzled Sasuke. He laughed.

His emotions must have shown on Sasuke's face, because Itachi explained, "Sometimes, your too grown up for your own good."

Then the elder son grew serious. "They are going to pay."

Sasuke looked deep into his brothers eyes as though he was trying to detect a lie or a terrifying untruth.

"Those _people _we call out clan. What they have done... They will pay for." Itachi paused, Sasuke could see that he was hesitant to say what he was attempting to explain. "Sasuke... Im going to kill then."

-------------------------

Itachi looked hard at the five year old in front of him. Sasuke had gone stock still, eyes wide. Itachi saw something he couldn't recognize in his baby brothers stance. Slightly startled by his reaction, the elder child turned to walk away, when small soft fingers grasped his sleeve. Looking down, Itachi say Sasuke's gaze boring into his.

"You can't kill mother."

For such a simple sentence, it worked wonder to infuriate Itachi. His face contorted with anger and his sharingan activated. He spat his next words as he would a disgusting curse. "And why not? Do you not see her grinning in the background while out pathetic _father_ hurts you? Do you not hear her encouraging him when he slashes at your flesh like you're a piece of meat? What has she done to deserve life?"

During his small speech Sasuke had drawn back and tears onyx eyes. Softly he whispered "You can't harm a pregnant woman!"

-------------------------

A/N: So! How is it? Sorry for the short chapters! I cant help myself !

So sorry for not updating. If it is any use handing out excuses, I've been studying for my exams! I finished them today so there may be another update sometime soon!

Or not. Im going on vacation in a week and will be gone for a few weeks... so don't hold your breath... You may just die from lack of oxygen...

Well... press that pretty little purple button to review if you wanna drop me some advice, or just to ball me off for not updating. I don't care. Just please review!

Thanks or all the support!

**_SlytherinProngs_**


	3. Chapter 3

_**Drastic Difference**_

Warnings: See chapter one.

Disclaimer: See chapter one.

"Speaking"

'Thoughts'

–Flashbacks–

((Hand Signals))

Chapter Three

-----------------------

Itachi's next few days flew by in a haze. Sasuke's revelation about their mother had seriously hampered the plan. Not only would the plan be delayed until the child was born, the youngest Uchiha had _insisted_ the child be old enough to comprehend the reasons behind the massacre-to-be. Sasuke had pressured Itachi and pouted cutely until the elder child had agreed to these terms.

Sasuke was abnormally pleased. Itachi wasn't.

Especially at the moment, as he sat calmly in front of Uchiha Fugaku, slender fingers folded in his lap, pretending to listen intently to his long tirade about 'holding to Uchiha standards' while his blood boiled under the surface.

Allowing his mind to wander for a moment, Itachi could barely suppress a wicked smirk as he imagined what Kohona's reaction would be if it ever became common knowledge what his fathers actions towards his sons - no, the elder half of the clans actions toward the younger half.

A stinging slap across his already injured cheek snapped Itachi out of his day dream. Blinking to regain his senses, he got an eye-full of furious mother standing over him.

He involuntarily flinched back as the woman screamed about how Itachi was an 'ungrateful, moronic brat that she should have drowned at birth' ans how his 'despicable behavior brought shame to their prestigious bloodline'. He suppressed a gale of insane laughter after the latter, instead opting to nod obediently and, to his own disgust, apologize meekly for his behavior.

As Itachi left the Uchiha compound headed toward the Hokage's office for a mission later that day, he couldn't help but ask himself how the hell he had let himself be manipulated by a five year old.

-----------------------

Uchiha Sasuke was scared. His father was towering over him in a drunken rage, gripping a leather belt tightly in his fist.

Sasuke tried to be strong, for the baby! But he couldn't stop himself.

He whimpered softly.

As though this was his cue to act, Fugaku brought his make-shift whip down upon Sasuke's back.

His scream ripped through the compound upon impact.

Fugaku stared down at Sasuke and spat, "Pathetic."

Once. Twice. Three more times did the man bring his belt down. Each eliciting a scream filled with pain and terror from Sasuke.

The five year old child lifted his tear-stained face and watched with morbid fascination the motion of the now bloody strip of leather as it whistled through unusually still air, only to come down hard onto his bare back. The skin beneath the tip split open. Blood from multiple wounds trickled down to pool slightly at his waistband, then slid down over the seat of his pants.

Again, Sasuke screamed.

It seemed like ages before his father had had enough _fun_ and left, not without kicking Sasuke in the stomach for good measure, leaving the small child to sob brokenly on his knees, before dragging his warn and hurting body to the bathroom.

As he ran the hot water for a bath he noticed that the clock mounted on the wall above the toilet read 9 o'clock. Another hour before Itachi was expected to come home from his mission. 'Damn'

After stopping the water and lowering himself in the tub, Sasuke bit back more tears as the water surrounding him was stained red with his own blood.

Leaning back, Sasuke looked up at the fluorescent light above him and whispered hoarsely through dry cracked lips, "Hurry up and come home big brother." A single tear slid down his cheek. "I'm scared."

-----------------------

A/N: Woo! I managed to hand out another chapterin less than a month! Im so proud!

On another note, I tried to get a nice balance of slight humor and dark angsty theme here. How did I do? Was it too terrible?

I have some of the next chapter written and I will try to finish it and upload it before I fly out on the 26th.

And now, I'm going to play loveable author and give recognition to my reviewers!

I want to thank:

AngelHinata, cfox, Samara, Piellio9, THE Hyuua Neji, random reader, and RetaroO

Thank all of you for your support!

Now please, review, even if it only says something like 'update.' I really don't mind! But reviews really keep me going and let me know that there are people out there who are interested in my ideas!

...Enough begging...

**Again, a _HUGE _thanks to anyone who takes the time to review!**

**_SlytherinProngs_**

**__**

**__**

P.s. This chapter SHOULD have been up before I left for my holidays, as it was finished, mbet the damn document manager refused to let me upload it.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Drastic Difference**_

Warnings: See chapter one.

Disclaimer: See chapter one.

"Speaking"

'Thoughts'

–Flashbacks–

((Hand Signals))

Chapter Four

-----------------------

The Academy the next day was hell. Sasuke had made sure to stay away from the Inuzuka and his dog and anyone else that may detect the scent of blood clinging to the bandages wrapped around his back. He also make sure that he wore one of his longer shirts, in fear that someone would catch a glimpse of the blood-stained bandages wrapped around his torso if he reached above his head.

Taking a seat in the vary back row to avoid Haruno and Yamanaka, he felt himself wince as he lent back on the chair. He grimaced. 'Note to self - avoid touching injured back on foreign objects. It hurts. A lot.'

Sasuke scowled darkly. His was just not his day. First, he woke late, earning a slap on the face, and a boot to the back from his father, then when he managed to get to school, that pink haired Haruno girl and cornered him, and tried to get him to walk with her, then that Yamanaka girl squealed in his ear and latched onto his arm. Just now he was positive that Iruka-sensei had watched him wince. 'Lovely'

"Do you mind if I sit here?"

The soft spoken question snapped the youngest Uchiha from his sulking.

He raised his onyx eyes upward to study the one questioning him. A girl stood in front of him, glossy raven colored hair fell in a boyish cut, a pale pink staining round features. She was of average height, and seemingly very meek.

But it was her eyes that intrigued him. It wasn't the pale violet color that he found fascinating - not really. It was what he found behind them. The loneliness embarrassment, and sadness - so like his own - was displayed so plain he felt his heart ache. But there was also a caring in those eyes, a love for all that he found so unbelievable, maybe because it was something he had never seen in a living beings eye before.

Sasuke smiled.

Very quickly he cleared an area for her next to him - but not so quick to do any more damage to his already mutilated back.. "Sure"

Sasuke observed this new girl as she went about setting her things for the lesson in front of her. He took in her mannerisms, shifting everything from her left hand to her right, the way she blew her hair away from her pale eyes.

He turned his attention back to the front. Obviously this girl wasn't about to start fawning over him like some rabid fangirl That automatically made hr ok in his book... so long as she didn't try to kill him. Then Itachi could have her.

The few minutes went by, filled with sounds of the lecture, scraping pencils, and the frantic sounds of rustling papers next to him. Sasuke snuck a glance to him immediate right and saw - to his own amusement - the girl checking and rechecking her bag and papers for a pencil.

Plucking another pencil from the small pile in front of him, Sasuke held the pencil he had just been using out to her.

Amusement sparkled in his eyes as he whispered, "Looking for one of these?"

The seemingly permanent blush across the bridge of her nose darkened slightly. "Y-Yes thank you." She seemed to study his face for a moment before speaking again. "Im Hyuuga Hinata."

"Uchiha Sasuke"

They both smiled.

-----------------------

Uchiha Itachi and Shisui both sat together on a large rock next to a swiftly flowing river deep in the forest. Both were deep in thought, and unwilling to disturb the other until...

"You took my advice and spoke to Sasuke, didn't you?"

It was a statement - not a question.

Itachi sighed. "He wishes to wait until the baby is born. But I still think we should do it now and get it over with..."

Shisui looked at the younger teen and said, "If you wish for nothing but suffering - go right ahead. But think of this - do you really think you and your brother would be enough to re-populate a clan? You need a woman."

Shisui stood up and began to walk away.

Itachi blinked before calling out, "Wait! What do you know about needing a little sister?" he paused, "What do you know that I don't? Tell me!"

Shisui just laughed . It wasn't everyday you caused the your genius cousin to freak out. "Go home Itachi. Aren't you supposed to be back before sunset?"

The only reply was a string of colorful cursing and a blur rushing passed him.

-----------------------

Sasuke lay on his futon that night, his face blanked of all emotion. He wasn't allowed to be happy here, and right now - he wasn't sure he could be.

He sighed. Itachi had come home late.

Sounds of a brutal beating was being carried through the walls. But Itachi didn't scream.

Sasuke was tired. Sasuke was tired of beatings. Tired of being an outcast in his own family. Tired of having no one his own age to lean on. Tired of being in pain. Tired of being put down, and treated like dirt. Sasuke was... tired of being tired.

A scream.

Sasuke hung his head. Itachi had passed his tolerance for pain.

The five year old curled up and tried to block out all sounds of the beating going on in the next room, and tried to sleep. It was going to be a long night.

-----------------------

A/N: Hello all! I'm not very happy with this chapter... and I tried to put Itachi's beating in Sasuke's perspective so you can imagine what happened to him. How do you like my Hinata?

In order to answer a few questions, I have to answer a review made by blisblop

The review was:

I like it but I have a feeling you are gonna make the baby a character and that kinda scares me. I hope its not female if it is.is this Yoai? I have it bookmarked so I hope that you do continue. This sasuke is rather emotional, why wait for a baby? She might miscarry anyway. They are gonna kill the other kids are they not?

Why does a baby scare you? I assure you that I'll try to keep it from being a Mary Sue.

Sorry to disappoint you but no yoai. I can read it - but I would be pathetic writing it.

This Sasuke is five. Very smart for five - but five none-the-less.

And for the kid question - As far as I know - Barring Sasuke and Itachi, Shisui is the youngest at 17. Besides, this isn't going to be a traditional Uchiha massacre.

Thanks go out to all my reviewers!

AngelHinata, cfox, Samara, Piellio9, THE Hyuua Neji, random reader, RetaroO, InvaderTacos I luv Itachi, Red Roses2, Delightful Sin, Kage26, bookyboo, Frei, blisblop.

_**Thanks to everyone who reviewed!**_

_SlytherinProngs   
_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Drastic Difference**_

Warnings: See chapter one.

Disclaimer: See chapter one.

"Speaking"

'Thoughts'

–Flashbacks–

((Hand Signals))

Chapter Five

- - - - - - - - - -

Sasuke pressed himself up against the wall, making himself as scarce as possible. He pressed his hand over his mouth and nose to try to muffle his breathing. This was important, so he couldn't get caught.

"The boy has to go. He is considering telling. I can see it in his eyes. He has to go."

"Alright. Fine. Do it your way. Kill him, but it will only raise questions. People will wonder where he is gone. You know that as well as I do. And people will talk."

"People will say even more if word gets out."

"Fine. Go ahead. Kill Tekka"

Sasuke closed his eyes for a brief moment before stealing his face. He needed to tell Itachi.

- - - - - - - - - -

The sun was warm on his face. Itachi liked that. He liked the way he could hear the water flowing through the stream, and the way the wind whispered in the grass and played with his hair. Leaning back against a tree he decided that he liked it so much, that this would make a great place to rest.

That is where Sasuke found him. A smile twitched itself onto Sasuke's face at the sight of his big brother asleep against a tree. It was nice to see him so relaxed. Sasuke sighed as he shook the sleeping boy's shoulder, knowing the coming news would not be very pleasant.

- - - - - - - - - -

She fled. From the arguing, the insults, the hurt. Tears fell from her pale eyes, obscuring her vision. But that was ok. It's not like she knew where she was going anyway.

She ran as hard and as fast as she could, the mechanical pumping of her legs giving her some sort of constant. She liked constant things. But she hated yelling. She hated insults. That her father would put her down as well, was just salt on the wound.

Finally, after what she was positive must have been hours, her legs gave way under her, sending her sprawling face first into the dirt. Only now did she realize that she had run straight into a forest. It was a miracle that she hadn't tripped and killed impaled herself on a tree branch. But she couldn't think about that, no, she had to find a way out of the forest and onto familiar territory.

But wait... What was that? She scrunched up her nose and screwed up her eyes in concentration. Voices. Even better - _human_ voices.

Following the sound she entered a clearing with two large rocks next to a beautiful stream. Peering around she spotted two boys - no - two brothers, next to a tree at the waters edge, muttering about something. Worry was etched into every line of their face. They stopped talking the second they saw her. Something that did not avid her notice.

The youngest boy stood. "Hello Hinata."

She bit her lip. "Hello Sasuke."

- - - - - - - - - -

A/N: Im sooo sorry for this being so late - And short! I just gave up on trying to make it longer. School is hell, as always, and before, I hit a major writers block! And, alas, real life got in the way. I know that it isn't a very good excuse for either, but...

By the way cfox, I _LIKE_ my Crack-Cocain pairings -sniff-

And welcome back blisblop!

Eh, sorry Sin, I got impatiant -.-;

Thanks go out to all my reviewers!

AngelHinata, cfox, Samara, Piellio9, THE Hyuua Neji, random reader, RetaroO, InvaderTacos I luv Itachi, Red Roses2, Delightful Sin, Kage26, bookyboo, Frei, blisblop, and Kaira-Chan15

_**Thanks to everyone who reviewed!**_

_SlytherinProngs_


	6. Chapter 6

_**Drastic Difference**_

Warnings: See chapter one.

Disclaimer: See chapter one.

"Speaking"

'Thoughts'

–Flashbacks–

((Hand Signals))

Chapter Six

- - - - - - - - - -

Death is a funny thing. It's cold, it's hard, and it hurts. It also throws everything into perspective.

Like how once you would close your eyes and wish for a kind, guiding hand to clasp your shoulder and try to take away all the pain and hurt of everyday life. But the black-gloved hands of black-clad nameless, faceless people that rest upon your shoulder do nothing now but stifle you. Push you. Break you.

Funerals do that to people.

If Sasuke heard one more person try to console him, one more insincere apology for Tekka's 'Training Accident' that resulted in his death, he was going to scream.

Sasuke felt caged.

Death does that to people.

- - - - - - - - - -

Itachi sighed

Watching Sasuke stand by the casket of their cousin, he knew that the younger boy now understood why they were going to do what they had been planning. How one wrong move would kill them too.

"It's a tragedy. How they can be fooled to believe that a man such as he fell on a discarded kuni. Sheep. So malleable. Just waiting to be manipulated. Such a shame. Such a tragedy."

The silence that fell between the bitter teen and his melancholy younger cousin was tense and drawn out.

"How do you know the things you do Shisui?"

A ghost of a smile spread across the older boy's lips.

"Nice topic switch. I thought you'd never ask."

A red-eyed glare. "Answer the question."

Shisui turned to Itachi, smile dropping as quickly as it had started. "I have been given a curse Itachi. The ability to know what is to come to pass through a mutation of our exalted bloodline. Foresight. A curse that some would misname a gift, but a curse none the less."

Itachi opened his mouth to speak but was cut off.

"Don't ask for me to teach you. It is not my place, nor is it for you to know. Some things are better off left to brood in the dark corners of the unknown."

Itachi clenched his eyes shut and ground out a dark "I don't understand this. Any of this. Tekka's death, your 'curse', Sasuke knowing and doing things no five year old should know or do. I just don't get it."

Shisui allowed another small smile to grace his face, corners of his eyes crinkling upwards. "Then all is as it should be."

The feeling of being utterly helpless and ignorant drifted over Itachi as he watched his cousins retreating back. He was awash in an ocean of things he could not comprehend, clinging to his brother and cousin as if they were the only thing's able to hold his head above the murderous waves.

He closed his eyes then let himself fade into the crowds of people mulling around, whispering quiet condolences to anyone and everyone that could possibly have known Tekka. This was not the time to be questioning life's mysteries. He had to say his farewells to a man who had tried, and failed, to get them out of their own personal hell.

- - - - - - - - - -

"Sometimes I wonder what life would be like if tings were different don't you? If there was no such thing as hurt, tears or injuries. Do you ever think like that Sasuke?"

He took a few moments to reply, turning the question over in his mind. "Then, Hinata, if there was no such thing as hurt or sadness there would be nothing to shape us into who we are. It life was just one wonderful dream, you would get bored, tired, and take for granted the little things that matter most, the things that hold you together. You would never know who your real friends and allies are. Because you would have no way of knowing who would stay with you if even the slightest question about life surfaced. You would be nothing but a shell, wondering who you are and what you could have been."

The two lay side by site in a field, grass tickling their skin, blown by a gentle wind. They sat in silence, digesting Sasuke's quiet spoken words.

Gradually, Hinata levered herself into a sitting position, glancing at the silent boy beside her. His eyes were closed and there was a peaceful expression on his baby face. The young girl grinned and got to work.

Almost an hour passed while her tiny chubby fingers worked. When she finished she slowly prodded Sasuke to arise. Slowly he rubbed the remnaints of sleep from his eyes and turned to his companion. Smiling she gestured him to sit. Sasuke complied.

With a flourish Hinata placed a slightly-too-large crown of dasies on his head, before draping a chain on her own around her neck.

The two five year olds let out small giggles as they looked at eachother. They let the evild of their slide around them for a moment. Right now, they were just another two children, playing in a field so large it seemed to engulf the world. And at the moment, it did.

- - - - - - - - - -

A/n: See? I am alive! And this story **will not** be abandoned. It **will** continue.

Thank you, readers, for being patient with me. Please excuse the depressed theme of the chapter. Times have been rather tough for me the past months. School was terrible. Exams were absolutely brutal. Two of my friends were cutting and suicidal. My big brother was accepted into the Canadian armed forces. And a fellow student was killed in a car crash. Not the best reasons, but reasons none-the-less.

R.I.P. Brandon - We all miss you.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed. It keeps me going.

Sly


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